Last month I was speaking at a conference in Hawaii and on the way home I bought a book entitled ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k’. I found this title humorous and contradictory to the environment in which I found it found it in. Back home at Takapuna Beach I make it my goal to say ‘hello’ to every passerby of which I reckon I get about an 80% response, where as where I found this book in Hawaii it feels more like a 20% response, people appear blinded by their perspectives and assumptions and therefore uncomfortable with what is different. They seem more concerned about engaging with the unknown / difference and in my option this is what sees more people than necessary under-living life and getting stuck in their comfort zone .
My mission and drive is to celebrate difference and the fact that ‘difference’ is a quality which contributes great value to our world, a value that has become hugely desirable when linked with a dream.
If we look at the the greatest icons and the legends of whatever it may be; sport, politics, business, architecture, art, education… I guarantee you that difference is quickly identified.
We celebrate and accept difference once the dream has been accomplished, ‘cheers’ , but how do we become comfortable with the unknown when the unknown needs our support the most and when that support could reward us in the most meaningful of ways.
- Imagine becoming the friend of Ed Sheeran (who is playing in the background as I write this piece) when he was the funny looking kid at school.
- Imagine investing in Uber when it just had a handful of cars.
Imagine that the next coolest thing is been evolved right under our nose but we’re so focused on what everyone else wants (making it harder to get) that we don’t see it and the next Ed, the next Uber, the next Van Gogh, the next best friend, all once so close and now so far.
I live with with a pretty idealistic view of the world that everyone has something incredible and of huge value within them. I believe the only reason in which that value may be diluted, contrasted or not even seen is because society has been blinded by assumptions and perspectives and obsessed with the celebrated.
So, my challenge to all is to look at everything from as many perspectives as possible – we might all be surprised with what we discover.